BIRMINGHAM was transformed into a sea of orange as tens of thousands of Sikhs paraded through the city streets to mark the annual Vaisakhi festival.

An estimated 90,000 people, many proudly sporting the colour of the Sikh nation, filled the streets with the sound of drums for the processions.

Thousands of people of all ages lined the streets of Handsworth as two processions set off from Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) in Hockley and Smethwick.

A row between local church leaders over the celebrations clashing with Easter Sunday had threatened to overshadow events, over concerns that worshippers heading to services would be hit by road closures.

Some of the churches had called in solicitors to look at the issue, but an agreement was reached for the Sikh parades to be moved to a later starting time.

At the head of each procession was the Guru Granth Sahib – the holy scriptures of revelation – accompanied by five Sikhs dressed in ceremonial costume.

The march culminated in Handsworth Park, where thousands of families enjoyed picnics and a free vegetarian feast.

Coun Gurdial Singh, acting chair of the Council of Sikh Gurdwaras, said as many as 32,000 people took part in the two processions.

He said: “Vaisakhi is a very important event in the Sikh calender.

“It has been a wonderful success, with 90,000 people attending during the course of the day, which reflected Birmingham’s diverse community.”

Birmingham’s festival is one of the largest outdoor Vaisakhi celebrations in the world, which is held at the time when farmers in the Punjab usually harvest their crops.

Enjoying the sights and sounds of the day was Harji Klaar, from Great Barr, who waited for two hours to secure a good spot on Soho Road to watch the processions pass by.

She said: “We wanted to be in a place where we could see the processions well.

“I come every year, it has a wonderful atmosphere and it is important to be a part of it.”

Also among the crowds at the event was Krishna Devi, also from Great Barr, who had come along with her three children.

She said: “I look forward to coming here every year, and it has been well worth the wait.’’

Krishna’s son, Onkar Dhillon, revealed he had been working hard on Saturday to help prepare food for the day.